AC Milan are preparing to make Strahinja Pavlovic’s place at the club more secure, with discussions expected over a new contract that would recognise the Serbian defender’s rise from early uncertainty to a central role in the Rossoneri side.
Pavlovic arrived in Milan in the summer of 2024 on a deal running until June 2028, with an option for a further season. The club are now laying the groundwork for an extension of two additional years and improved terms, with his salary expected to move towards €3 million per season plus bonuses — close to double his present earnings.
The defender is understood to be fully committed to staying. Playing for Milan had been an ambition for Pavlovic, and he has worked to establish himself after reaching one of Italy’s biggest clubs. Milan, meanwhile, did not consider selling him despite receiving several approaches from abroad during the summer, including a significant Premier League proposal.
From a difficult start to defensive certainty
Pavlovic’s first months in Italy were not straightforward. He initially faced scepticism and had to earn his place, while Paulo Fonseca publicly urged him to show greater tactical discipline rather than repeatedly stepping too far forward.
In his first Serie A campaign, Pavlovic made 24 league appearances as his involvement varied under the two Portuguese coaches, Fonseca and then Sergio Conceição. In January 2025, there was speculation that he could leave only six months after joining, while offers from Turkey emerged. Pavlovic rejected those opportunities and remained in Milan.
His standing changed decisively under Massimiliano Allegri. With the coach’s full backing and a more compact defensive approach around the team, Pavlovic became a regular starter and one of the reference points in the back line. He played 34 league matches last season, contributing five goals and one assist.
Value at both ends of the pitch
The new Serie A season has begun with Pavlovic ever-present through Milan’s first five matches. He has already supplied an assist, releasing Christian Pulisic with a long pass in the 3-0 victory over Lecce.
His aerial strength remains one of the qualities Milan consider difficult to replace. It serves the side in defensive situations but also gives them an additional threat from corners and crowded penalty-area situations. Goals and assists have become a notable feature of his three years in Milan, an unusual return for a central defender.
For Milan’s board and coaching staff, the proposed renewal is therefore about more than protecting a contract. It is an attempt to keep a player whose development has followed the changing course of the club: a defender who endured a hesitant beginning, resisted the possibility of an early departure and has grown into an established pillar of the side.
